As the World Falls Down
by ApothecaryJane
Summary: As the first Betazoid to graduate Starfleet Academy, Keva Valeri is feeling the pressure. Assigned to the USS Enterprise as an experiment, she must balance the needs of the crew with her own in the vastness of space. Kirk/OC, Bones/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** So it's been a minute since I wrote _Star Trek_ fanfiction and this is the first time I have ever attempted a non- _Next Generation_ story, but I was inspired by _Beyond_ so I figured, why not?

 **Disclaimer:** All I own is Keva, her family, and any other original characters that may pop up.

* * *

Keva knew that she was an experiment and that there were many people, both inside of Starfleet and out, that were hoping she would fail. Although a graduate of Starfleet Academy and a completely qualified counselor from her home planet of Betazed, her role as a mental health counselor was a brand new position in Starfleet, untested and untried in all of its history. Of course, sending a single ship out for a five-year mission into largely uncharted space was also unprecedented in Starfleet history and Starfleet Command had cares and concerns about the mission. With the recent events on Altamid, Keva was a concession to those apprehensions. She was meant to help the crew of the _USS Enterprise_ handle the unknown vastness of space and all the anxiety that went along with it. She was also supposed to document how the crew, including herself, handled the mission. It was a daunting task, but Keva felt that she was up to the challenge.

Besides herself, there was only one other person on board the _Enterprise_ who knew about her mission and that was Leonard McCoy, the Chief Medical Officer. Not even Captain Kirk, whom Keva had met once and only briefly upon first assignment, was aware that she was going to be observing the crew. This subterfuge made Keva slightly uncomfortable, but she understood why it was necessary. People, whatever their species, act differently when they know they are being observed; in order to better document the reality of the mission and its effects on the crew, no one on the _Enterprise_ could know that they were being watched.

As she headed towards the turbolift, ready to begin her first full day as Chief Counselor on the _USS Enterprise_ , Keva felt – and saw – McCoy fall into step with her.

"Nervous?" He asked.

"No."

"Do Betazoids even get nervous?"

"Of course we do." Keva said as she resisted an eye-roll. "This situation simply does not call for me to be nervous."

"Well I'm nervous."

"I know."

" _That's_ something I'll never get used to." McCoy grunted. Keva couldn't suppress the smile that came to her lips. "I bet you weren't very popular in the Academy."

"I survived." The truth was that the first year at Starfleet Academy had been hell. Most of her classmates, and even some of her teachers, were either scared of her or wanted to use her abilities to help them in personal situations. Keva had expected, and been warned, that as the first Betazoid to enter Starfleet Academy, things were going to be rough, but she had not been prepared for what had actually happened. This had been her first interaction with humans on a largescale and she had nearly suffered a breakdown from all the emotions and thoughts hitting her. But, determined to succeed, Keva had forced herself to soldier on and learn to better dampen the telepathic onslaught. She had developed a few close friends, ones who did not regard her as a freak or tool and had been willing to help her adjust to life amongst humans. Without them, she would likely have left the Academy and returned home in defeat.

"Think anyone will show up?" Keva shook her head.

"It's unlikely as this is our first full day at space. I don't expect to have any callers for the first few weeks, which is why I'll be spending those first few weeks making my initial observations." McCoy shifted uncomfortably.

"I still don't like that we're keeping this from the Captain." He paused for a beat. "But you probably already knew that." Keva offered him a sheepish, apologetic smile. "Of course you did. Are you sure that you can't just turn it off?"

"It doesn't work like that. And believe me, if there was a way, I would have found it. It would've made my time at the Academy much more enjoyable. I apologize that it makes you uncomfortable and I will do my best to not infringe on your thoughts."

"It isn't your fault." McCoy grumbled, regretting his critical words about an ability that was completely natural to her. "I suppose I should get used to it since more Betazoids will probably join Starfleet."

"I doubt it." Keva said as she stepped onto the turbolift, McCoy on her heels. "My people find you humans mentally taxing. We're used to being open and honest; holding nothing back. Humans find that highly inappropriate and it makes them uncomfortable; many are even threatened by it. It has taken me quite a while to adjust and teach myself to refrain from overstepping my boundaries." McCoy shot her a sympathetic look.

"I guess the discomfort goes both ways." Keva nodded. "Why did you join Starfleet?"

"I love my people and my planet." Keva began. "But I also wanted to see what the universe had to offer and Starfleet sounded like a wonderful way to do that. Leaving Betazed affords me much greater freedom. Plus," She sent McCoy a small smile. "I like humans and all the other species I get to meet through Starfleet. Aren't those reasons enough?"

"Certainly." Having reached Sickbay, McCoy wished her good bye and Keva made the rest of the short journey to her office alone.

Her office was small, but large enough to accommodate her needs. It had several chairs, a couch, a bathroom, and a beautiful view into the space outside. Keva ran her fingers over one of the chairs as she passed it on her way to take in that beautiful view. They were cruising at warp speed and Keva found the blurred stars almost hypnotizing.

The door bleeped, pulling her from her reverie.

"Enter." Kirk strode into her office with a grin.

"Counselor Valeri." He greeted pleasantly.

"Captain." Keva echoed his greeting. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh, just coming by to check in; see how you're settling in." Keva had to resist the urge to roll her eyes; he had also come by to flirt.

"Everything is perfect."

"That's good." Kirk glanced around the room for a moment longer before asking, "Can you really read minds?"

"More-or-less."

"Anyone's minds? Or are certain species immune?"

"Some species are easier to read than others and there are likely those we cannot read, but I have yet to meet any of them." Kirk nodded as he mulled over her words. His mood shifted from flirtatiously casual to business and Keva was a bit surprised to read what he wanted to say. "Captain, my assignment is to care for the mental health of the crew; not to be used against new species."

"Yeah, _that's_ going to take some getting used to." Kirk muttered under his breath before saying at a normal volume, "I don't want to use you _against_ anyone. My job as captain of this ship and as an officer of Starfleet is to ensure the safety of my crew and the Federation. We don't know who or what is out there. You have the ability to read a person's true intentions and that ability would be incredibly useful in determining how to handle new civilizations when we come into contact with them. I'm not asking you to spy; I'm asking you to inform me if someone is a potential threat."

"You have made a good case, Captain." Keva admitted. "And of course, since you are the captain, you have the right to assign me as you see fit. But I cannot guarantee that my ability will always work and should we run into another telepathic species, they will know that I am a telepath right away."

"That would work both ways, right?"

"Presumably."

"And you said yourself that you haven't come across any species you can't read so it stands to reason that such species are incredibly rare."

"That is possible." Kirk grinned.

"So it's a great plan! I'll call you when I need you."

"As you command, Captain." Giving her a roguish grin, Kirk exited her office. Keva shook her head. "That was illuminating." She mused to herself before heading over to grab her tablet from its docking station. "Computer."

"Yes Counselor?"

"Start a new profile; label it James Tiberius Kirk, Captain."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** There is going to be a romance in this story, but I'm not entirely sure with who just yet. Reviews and constructive criticism welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two of As the World Falls Down

 **Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter of** _ **As the World Falls Down**_ **.**

* * *

Captain James Tiberius Kirk considered himself a connoisseur of fine looking women of all species. Lord knows that that he had had more than his fair share of them. If asked, he would state that he was an expert on the female sex – well at least as much of an expert on women as any man could be. So he was perplexed when both Scotty and Bones commented on the attractiveness of Keva Valeri as they enjoyed replicated whiskey in the _Enterprise_ Lounge after an uneventful shift.

"Sure, she gives me the willies," Scotty admitted in his brogue, always enhanced after a few drinks, "What with all her witchy abilities and what not, but she's a blessin' to look at." Bones nodded.

"I'll drink to that." He agreed as he held up his glass. The two men clinked their glasses together as Kirk looked on, his brow furrowed.

"I don't see it." He stated. Bones quirked an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Are you crazy, man?" The doctor asked in a tone that matched his expression.

"She's too…." Kirk paused as he tried to find the right word. "Cute." He finally settled on. He nodded in agreement with himself as the explanation developed further within his mind. "She reminds me of an anthropomorphic rabbit." Bones and Scotty shared a look.

"I don't even know how to respond to that." Bones muttered after a few moments of silence. Kirk shrugged. It wasn't that Keva was ugly, he just didn't find her dull brown hair and unnerving black eyes to be particularly appealing.

"I don't find rabbits attractive." He chuckled before finishing off the last of his whiskey.

"Considering that you are a human, that is a very healthy thought, Captain." Bones grunted into his drink, Scotty began to play with something invisible on the table, and Kirk grimaced, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as Keva appeared behind him. Composing himself, Kirk turned, somewhat stiffly, in his chair and gave the counselor what he hoped was a charming (and not guilty) smile.

"Good evening Counselor Valeri." She regarded him coolly and all hope that she hadn't heard his thoughts abandoned Kirk.

"Good evening, Captain Kirk. I apologize for interrupting, but I just wanted to notify Doctor McCoy that Ensign Yeadaker has been cleared for work and you may put him back on the rotation schedule." Bones nodded.

"Thank you. I will do just that." Keva nodded once.

"Wonderful. I shall leave you gentlemen to your festivities." Keva turned to go, but Kirk called her back. "Yes, Captain?"

"Why don't you join us?"

"Oh, I thank you for the offer, Captain, but I try to stay away from alcohol, for everyone's sake. Besides," Her lips quirked up into a small smirk. "Most rabbits aren't fond of whiskey." She nodded once more at them in good bye and left the lounge. Kirk grimaced.

"Well _that_ was awkward." Bones muttered as Scotty nodded in grim agreement.

"I was hoping she hadn't heard that." Kirk muttered in return.

"She didn't hear it; she read it in your thoughts." Bones corrected, placing a finger to his temple for emphasis. All three men shuttered.

"I should probably go apologize." Kirk mused as he played with his empty whiskey glass. "It was kind of rude."

"You can't help your thoughts." Scotty pointed out. "They're _your_ thoughts and you're entitled to them." Kirk nodded, though he still felt somewhat guilty. Technically, it wasn't Keva's fault that could read his thoughts either. He was also more aware of Keva's troubled time at Starfleet Academy than his fellow officers. Vice Admiral Sokalove, the supervisor of the Exobiology degree tract at Starfleet Academy, had apparently taken a personal interest in Keva and shared with Kirk some of the troubles Keva had experienced while studying at the Academy.

" _I want you to be aware of her past."_ Sokalove had stated in her message. _"So you can better appreciate who she is and what she has accomplished under stressors that we cannot begin to fathom."_

To say that Keva had been bullied and abused at the Academy would be putting it mildly. While cadets were certainly on their way to becoming honored members of Starfleet, they were also still kids and acted like most kids do when presented with the freedom and experiences of college life. Keva, with her ability to read minds and emotions as well as her Betazoid frankness, was an easy target. Life had gotten easier for her after her second year, but those first years had likely left a lasting impression on Keva. And it was because of those two years that Kirk was now feeling like an ass.

"Of course," Bones interrupted Kirk's thinking, "She can't help her creepy supernatural abilities either."

"They are not supernatural abilities, Doctor." Spock commented, his sudden appearance making all three men at the table jump slightly in their seats. Bones glared at the Vulcan as he joined them.

"I hate it when you do that." He muttered, downing the rest of his drink. "Jim, need a refill?" Kirk shook his head in the negative. "Alright then, I'll be right back." Spock watched as Bones headed for the bar before turning back to Kirk and Scotty.

"I have been reading up on the people of Betazed." He announced. "They are an interesting people, if a bit more" Spock hesitated, searching for the right word. "….open with their ways."

"And by "open," he means they get married naked, guests included." Bones interjected as he returned to the table with a full glass of whiskey. Scotty snorted into his own glass in surprise. Bones held up his glass. "Cheers." He finished half the glass in one swoop.

"I admit," Spock began slowly, "That I find some of their traditions inexplicable and I am sure that, for some, their emotional honesty would be taxing. But I find their dedication to truth to be quite admirable."

"I would imagine that they can't hide much from one another." Kirk mused. "Probably doesn't make much sense to lie." The group of men all nodded in agreement. "Well, gentlemen." Kirk got to his feet. "I am turning in for the night."

"Good God man," Bones exclaimed with a shake of his head, "You're getting soft in your old age." Kirk rolled his eyes and reached out to pat his friend on the shoulder.

"Drink an extra one for me." Kirk nodded at Scotty and Spock before exiting the lounge. The late hour meant that the halls were largely deserted and Kirk was glad that he had the turbolift to himself. He was still kicking himself for his comment about Keva and he couldn't figure out why. It had been a stupid comment, barely even insulting. Still, he was embarrassed that she had overheard it and that he had been called out on it. In a way that he couldn't even begin to understand, Kirk felt as though she was disappointed in him. Or maybe he was confused within his own mind and he was actually disappointed in himself. Kirk sighed as the door to the turbolift slid open. Pushing himself away from the opposite wall, he exited and started for his quarters.

Truth was, James Tiberius Kirk was feeling unsettled and it was making him deeply uncomfortable. While the events on Altamid had helped resolve Kirk's issues with being a captain in Starfleet, they had apparently unearthed another issue within the recesses of his mind and he was still trying to process what was going on and what it meant for him. He was no longer satisfied with his one night stands or the company of any of his usual friends with benefits (a habit that most unmarried Starfleet crew members developed within their first years onboard a ship – one of Starfleet's "dirty" secrets). Kirk couldn't tell if this was a result of boredom or something deeper. It was the chance that it was something deeper that was unsettling the usually confident captain.

Entering his quarters, Kirk stopped and looked around the sparsely decorated main room. Another sigh escaped his lips. Running his hand down his face, Kirk decided he should go to bed before he drove himself crazy.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I'm not thrilled with this chapter, but it's laying groundwork. I apologize in advance for the delay in updating, but my muse decided to focus on my** _ **Lost Boys**_ **fic instead of this one and, well, one never can argue with a muse!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I apologize for not updating sooner, but I just started school again after a couple years' hiatus and it's taking me a minute to get used to the new routine. Then the website would not let me upload this chapter for almost two days. It only finally worked when I decided to try the Copy-and-Paste method. I did my best with the formatting, but even it fought me. Thank you for your reviews and for those of you who have started following the story.**

* * *

Keva was _not_ having a good morning. She had tossed and turned all night only to give up an hour before her alarm was set to go off. Due to the lack of sleep, she also had a pounding headache. The headache was bad enough that it made her unable to block out the thoughts and emotions of her fellow Starfleet members so she retreated to Med Bay in search of a pain reliever. Keva was grateful when she entered the Med Bay and saw that the only occupant was McCoy.

"Counselor!" McCoy's greeting boomed in her head and she groaned. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Keva glanced up from under her fingers, which rested upon her forehead, to glare at the chief medical officer.

"Would it be possible for you to lower your voice and quiet your thoughts? I am aware that I look rather unattractive this morning." Bones rolled his eyes.

" _I'm_ the one who should be nursing a hangover today." He patted the nearest sickbed. "Take a seat." Keva did as she was told as McCoy gathered up the injection for the spray applicator. "And if you bothered to actually read my thoughts, what I thought was that you looked disheveled, _not_ unattractive." Keva, who was already mentally off, was caught off-guard by the semi-compliment and blushed. The action caused McCoy to chuckle.

"I am so glad that you find my discomfort amusing. And, for the record, Doctor McCoy, I am not hungover, I did not sleep well."

"My mistake." McCoy grumbled as he approached her with the spray applicator. "Tilt your head." Keva did as she was told. McCoy brushed her hair to the side, his fingers gently brushing her neck. Keva's stomach did a little flop and another blush graced her cheeks. McCoy grinned.

"You do _not_ make me nervous." She snapped as he slowly – purposefully slowly – removed his hand and the spray applicator from her neck area.

"I don't need the ability to read minds to know that I do." McCoy teased. Keva glared at him.

"May I go?"

"Do you still have a headache?" McCoy asked, his eyebrow quirked. Keva realized that she didn't and she flushed again.

"No, thank you." She slid off of the sickbed and straightened out her uniform. She raised her hands to her hair and quickly braided the brown locks. McCoy watched her with unconcealed interested. He hadn't exaggerated when he told Kirk that he found her attractive and since she could read his thoughts, he didn't see the point in trying to mask his interest. Keva met his eyes as she finished braiding her hair and they held each other's gaze for a moment before McCoy broke the contact.

"I can't get used to those black eyes just yet." He informed her somewhat reluctantly. To his surprise, Keva smiled.

"Well if it makes you feel better, I find the different colored irises of you humans unnerving." McCoy tilted his head.

"Fair enough." Keva gave him another smile.

"Thank you again for helping with my headache. I guess I can get to work now."

"Glad to help." McCoy leaned up against the nearest sickbed and crossed his arms before regarding her for a moment. "How's that going by the way?"

"I think it is going well." Keva replied. "I seemed to have help those who have come to me with concerns. Of course, we will not know for sure the true success until we complete the mission."

"And how are you holding up?" Keva's mouth twisted into a frown.

"Why do you ask?"

"You're the one who came in here with a headache claiming she hadn't slept well." Keva headed for the door. "Who counsels the counselor?" McCoy called after her. Keva was saved from having to answer by the first shift of medical staff entering the Med Bay. McCoy watched her go with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

By her last appointment of the day, Keva was still feeling off-balance. Her headache had not returned and she had been able to regain control over her abilities, but she still felt, as her Starfleet friend Darla from New York would say, off.

"So that's why I think seeing you has helped me." Keva blinked and focused on Petty Officer Oltero, who had apparently been speaking for the past several minutes without realizing that Keva hadn't been listening. Mentally, Keva chided herself. This was her job, helping people, and she hadn't been listening. Not wanting to upset Oltero, who had recently gone through a breakup with his wife on Earth, Keva smiled at him.

"Well I am certainly glad that I am helping you." Oltero returned her smile with one of his own as he stood. Thankfully, he still hadn't realized that Keva hadn't been listening.

"Am I your last patient for the day Counselor Valeri?" Keva nodded, showing him to the door.

"You are." She confirmed.

"Good, because you look like you need a break." It was clear that he meant it, but he said it nicely. "Have a nice night, Counselor." Keva locked the door behind him gratefully and leaned up against it, her mind awhirl with thoughts. Maybe Oltero was right; maybe she needed a break. How long had it been since she had had any fun? Pushing herself away from the door, Keva went about shutting down her office. She had just turned off the last night when her office door slid open.

"I'm sorry, but I'm done for the evening. If you want to come back tomorrow-" The words died on her lips as she turned and saw that it was Kirk. He was he was dressed casually and Keva had to admit that he looked good.

"Actually it's a social call." He corrected. Keva watched him warily as he hooked his arm in a way that made it clear that he wanted her to take it. Keva crossed her own arms defiantly. Kirk raised an eyebrow. "What? Afraid that I'll bite?"

"Yes, actually." She responded.

"I promise I won't bite – unless you're into that sort of thing." Keva's cheeks flushed at the image that went through Kirk's head. Kirk chuckled and motioned with his head for her to come over. "Come on." He watched as Keva wrinkled her nose, her mind clearly in furious debate over whether or not to go with him. Rolling her eyes and uncrossing her arms, Keva closed the distance between them and promptly passed him to go out into the hallway. Kirk looked at her questioningly.

"Well? Let's go." Now it was Kirk's turn to roll his eyes, but he shoved away from the door and joined her. "Where are we going?" Keva asked as they started walking.

"My quarters." He replied airily. The Betazoid stopped dead in her tracks. Kirk kept walking, but turned around so he was facing her. He held his hands up in peace. "As friends, as friends." He promised, never missing a step as he turned back around. Keva had to jog to catch up. "You're kinda jumpy." Keva glared at him.

"Rabbits are known for being jumpy around predators." Kirk had the decency to flush.

"Yeah, about that, I owe you an apology." There was sincerity in his regret and Keva felt her defenses lower ever-so-slightly. "I can't say that I didn't mean what I said because there's no sense in lying to you. Still, it was rude and I shouldn't have said it. So I'm sorry." Keva nodded.

"Thank you." She accepted. "Is that what all this is? An elaborate apology?"

"No," He began. "I told you, it's a social call. We've been on this boat for awhile now and you've been hard at work without much of a break. I figured that it's my job as both captain and as your friend to make sure you have some fun."

"Oh, are we friends?"

"Not yet." Kirk admitted. He glanced at her. "But I'd like us to be. Think that's possible?" Keva nodded as she once again felt his sincerity.

"Yes, I think it's possible." Kirk grinned.

"Great!" They got onto the turbolift. "I hope you're hungry."

"You made dinner?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Pizza, really?"

"What? It's a delicacy!" Keva giggled and Kirk's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I'm sorry." She apologized through her giggles. "It's just that I hardly think pizza qualifies as a delicacy." Kirk shook his head as the doors to the turbolift slid open.

"You're wrong." He declared. "But I'll forgive you." Keva rolled her eyes.

Kirk's quarters were not what Keva had been expecting. Despite his assurances of the dinner being a friendly occasion, she had half expected the lighting to be dimmed and for there to be candles everywhere. But the lighting was normal, there were no candles, and there wasn't a hint of romance.

"You doubted me." Kirk teased. Keva flushed, but remained silent. "Well take a seat." Kirk waved his arm imperiously towards the corner of his front room. Keva's eyes followed the direction and saw that he had set up dinner on the coffee table in front of the couch. As Kirk disappeared into a side room, Keva sat down stiffly on the couch. Her eyes darted around as she took in the eclectic decorations that lined his walls. Her eyes landed on a diagram and she rose to examine it. "That's an original diagram for the 1898 Orient-Aster, the first motorcycle produced in the United States." Kirk explained as he appeared at her side. "Bones got it for me as a birthday present awhile back. Here." He pressed a glass into her hand.

"What is this?"

"Beer. Specifically, an American amber ale."

"I don't know if I like beer."

"Take a chance, try it." Kirk walked back over to the couch and threw himself down casually onto the couch. He patted the spot next to him. "Take a seat." Keva gingerly returned to her seat on the couch. Kirk grabbed a slice of pizza and began to eat as he continued to recline against the red couch. Keva stayed where she was, sitting upright stiffly and ignoring both her drink and the pizza. "Are you capable of relaxing?" Kirk asked after a couple of minutes.

"Yes!" Keva snapped defensively. Kirk quirked an eyebrow.

"Prove it." Scowling, Keva raised the glass to her lips and promptly downed the contents. Once the beer was gone, she slammed the empty glass down onto the coffee table and sent Kirk a defiant glare. "I meant 'prove it' more along the lines of take your shoes off and grab a piece of pizza." Kirk chortled. Keva flushed. Kirk reached forward and grabbed a piece of pizza, holding it out to her. Keva accepted it and began to eat. Slowly, thanks largely to the beer, she relaxed backwards into the couch. She even slipped off her shoes and curled her legs up underneath her. They ate in surprisingly companionable silence for a few minutes before Keva broke it by commenting,

"I prefer mushrooms and peppers on my pizza." Kirk looked at her in surprise. "Why are you surprised? I lived on Earth for several years while I was attending the Academy. This isn't the first pizza that I've had." Kirk smiled.

"Touché. And I'll keep that in mind next time we have pizza."

"So you think that we'll be doing this again?"

"You have to admit that you find me charming."

"Captain, we've barely talked about anything. So far you've given me alcohol, probably trying to lower my inhibitions, and fed me pizza."

"Jim."

"Pardon me?"

"Call me Jim. Or James if you prefer. Just not Jimmy." Keva blinked. "What'd you think of the beer, Keva?" Keva felt her heart beat just a bit faster when he said her name and she wasn't entirely sure that it was due to the beer.

"It was sweeter than I expected." Keva replied. "Not entirely unpleasant….Jim." Kirk grinned.

"So you like it?" Keva nodded, a small smile on her own lips. "Do you want some more?"

"I don't know…"

"I promise that I only want to talk. Despite what you think, I'm not a complete hound dog." Keva frowned.

"I don't understand what that means."

"In this case," Kirk started to explain as he got to his feet to refill both their glasses. "A hound dog means that a man who chases after women like a scoundrel."

"Oh. Interesting." She accepted her refilled glass with a polite thank you and Kirk retook his seat.

"So, tell me about what it was like growing up on Betazed. Do people on your planet _really_ get married naked?" Keva laughed.

"Yes. What's wrong with being naked?"

"Absolutely nothing." Kirk replied. "But only under certain circumstances and I'm not sure a wedding is one of those circumstances." Keva shrugged.

"To each culture its own. Humans tend to treat nudity as a crime. I will never understand that. Bodies are beautiful and natural." Kirk tilted his head in agreement.

"Fair enough. I assume you've been to one of these weddings?"

"Only one. My sister, Arvera, got married before I left for the Academy."

"So you have a sister?"

"Two actually. Arvera and Yelara. And one brother, Gren."

"Older or younger?"

"Arvera is the eldest, then Gren, then myself, and Yelara is the youngest." Kirk reached for another piece of pizza.

"What do your siblings do?"

"As the eldest female, Arvera is training to take our mother's place on the Queen's council. Gren is a mechanic and works on all the royal ships. Yelara is still in school, but she has already expressed an interest in joining our grandfather's jewelry business." The beer was making Keva chattier than usual and it was _definitely_ clouding her ability to read Kirk.

"Have you always wanted to be a part of Starfleet?" Keva nodded.

"Yes, ever since I was a little girl and first saw the Starfleet Ambassador arrive on our planet." Keva smiled as the memory played through her mind. "The idea of exploring space and meeting new species?" Keva sighed wistfully and turned her smile to Kirk. "It was such an intoxicating thought." Kirk smiled softly at her. He had to admit that she was cute when she was reminiscing. He cringed at the thought, but if Keva heard it, she didn't comment. "So what about you?"

"You didn't read it in my file?" To his surprise, Keva shook her head.

"No. I don't like to read people's files unless it's absolutely necessary. I like for people to tell me about themselves because they want to." As Kirk recounted his decision to join Starfleet, Keva listened attentively and refrained from commenting. When he finished, Kirk leaned back and crossed his arms.

"Alright counselor, what's your take on me? Am I a hopeless case?" He was only slightly joking. Keva smiled at him kindly.

"No, you're a perfectly normal human being. One who happened to have suffered an extraordinary situation that has since completely shaped his life. You're a good man, Jim." Kirk smiled.

"I see I've won you over to my side." Keva laughed as she stood.

"Perhaps." She yawned. "And on that note, I think that I'm going to call it a night." Kirk stood as well. They walked in comfortable silence to the door. Keva turned on her heel to smile widely at him. "Thank you very much for dinner, the drinks, and the company. I needed it." Kirk grinned as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"I'm glad to hear it. And you're welcome. I had fun too." He slid the door open and bade her good night. He watched Keva disappear into the turbolift with a little wave before closing his door. Whistling, he went about cleaning up his quarters.

* * *

 **Author's Note: My muse still can't decide between Kirk and McCoy so we're having this fun game of back and forth. I guess she'll reveal her choice at some point. I hope. Anyway hopefully y'all enjoyed that chapter. I am already working on the next one so it shouldn't take nearly as long to get posted as this last one. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who read and especially those who reviewed. It would appear that Bones is the definite favorite for a love interest, but who can find fault with that?!**

* * *

"You're in an awfully good mood this morning." McCoy commented as a whistling Kirk joined him in the turbolift.

"I had a good night." Kirk replied with a grin. McCoy cocked an eyebrow.

"Doing what with who?"

"Talking, actually. And I don't know what she is yet." McCoy's face took on a look of disbelief.

" _Just_ talking?" He inquired. Kirk nodded proudly.

"Yep!"

"With who?" McCoy pressed. For whatever reason, Kirk found himself reluctant to answer. McCoy had made it obvious that he found the counselor attractive, but Kirk wasn't sure how far the feelings went and he didn't want to find out just yet. "Well?" Kirk was grateful when the turbolift doors opened to the Med Bay level. "We'll talk later." McCoy threatened just as the turbolift doors closed.

Kirk was the last to arrive on the bridge and he wished the room a loud good morning before taking his seat in the captain's chair.

"Anything to report Mr. Spock?" He expected the answer to be 'no' just as it had been for the previous week.

"Actually yes." Kirk looked up at him in surprise.

"Yes?" He repeated. Spock nodded and came around to stand near his captain.

"We received an usual transmission around approximately 0400 hours. It appears to be a distress signal." Spock nodded at Sulu. "Lieutenant Sulu." Sulu pressed the conn and the transmission started to play across the screen. The quality of the transmission was poor, but could identify that the speaker was of an unknown alien species and that it was distressed. A crashed ship could be seen in the jungle-like background. The transmission was repeated twice before Kirk motioned for Sulu to end it. Kirk turned to Uhura, who was already standing by.

"You don't recognize the language at all?" Kirk asked. Uhura shook her head.

"No, Captain. And I've run it through the computer four times with no success."

"It appears, Captain," Spoke interjected. "That we have stumbled across a distress signal from an as of yet unknown species." Kirk nodded in agreement before turning his attention to Sulu.

"How far are we from the signal, Lieutenant Sulu?"

"Four light years."

"Are we going to attempt a rescue, Captain?" Spock asked. Kirk nodded.

"Absolutely. Hit it, helm." As the coordinates were plugged into the computer, Kirk looked towards Spock. "What are your thoughts on the possible dangers of this rescue?" Spock thought for a moment before responding.

"It appears to be a genuine call for assistance." He began. "But given our experience on Altamid, we should proceed with caution. There is the possibility that it could be a trap." Kirk nodded thoughtfully.

"We're also lacking, as far as we know, the ability to communicate." Uhura interjected, turning their attention to her. "If this is a new alien species, as the evidence suggests, our ability to detect any danger will be greatly diminished."

"Lieutenant Uhura raises an excellent point." Spock agreed. "We are also about to encounter lifeforms on a new planet, the flora and fauna of which we are unfamiliar with. Prudence would be a wise course." Kirk inhaled sharply before nodding slowly, a game plan already beginning to form in his head.

"We'll be smart on this one." He promised his crew.

-xXx-

With the _Enterprise_ hurtling through space towards the distress signal at light speed, Kirk left the bridge to Spock and headed off to see Counselor Valeri. She was saying good bye to a patient (Ensign Engels, Kirk remembered with some effort) when he approached and she smiled widely at him. Despite his visit being a professional one, Kirk couldn't help but smile at her flirtatiously.

"Good afternoon, Counselor." He greeted as she allowed him into her office.

"Good afternoon, Captain. How are you today?"

"Excellent. Yourself?"

"Much better than I was yesterday, thank you." Kirk got the distinct feeling that the 'thank you' was both for asking after her wellbeing and for spending time with her last night. "How can I help you?"

"What?" Kirk teased. "Not just going to read my mind?" Keva sent him a half-hearted glare. He chuckled. "I'm kidding. Actually, we received a distress signal from an unknown species on an unknown planet early this morning and we are currently headed towards said planet to offer our assistance." Keva nodded thoughtfully to indicate that she was listening. "That being said, after our last experience with a distress signal on an unknown planet, I want to make sure that we go into this one as prepared as possible." Now Keva used her abilities to interject.

"And you want me to be part of the away team to see I can use my ability to detect any possible danger." Kirk nodded.

"Yes."

"I will do so." Keva agreed. "However, I feel that I should reiterate my concerns that I first shared with you upon my arrival on the _Enterprise_. "While I will likely be able to read this new species, I cannot guarantee it." Kirk nodded once.

"Understood." Keva sighed somewhat dejectedly, but offered him a small smile.

"Please do not mistake my hesitation for reluctance. I _am_ glad to help, but I want to be honest with you about the potential outcome." Kirk reached out and gave her shoulder a soft rub.

"I know." Kirk dropped his hand from her shoulder in order to take her hand. "Alright, official business is over. Have you eaten lunch yet?" Keva shook her head. "Me either. Want to get some grub in the officer's lounge?" Keva smiled.

"Sure." Kirk grinned.

"Great!"

-xXx-

The officer's lounge was only about halfway full when Kirk and Keva entered. Kirk lead Keva towards an empty table with his hand on her the small of her back. Keva flushed at the slightly possessive action and reached out to see what was going on in his mind. To her surprise, she found resistance. The surprise registered on her face and Kirk grinned.

"I've been practicing a trick I read about." He explained. "I wanted to see if I could maybe block you." Kirk's grin widened. "Guess it worked!" Wanting to burst his bubble, Keva forced her way through his rather feeble block. He cringed since it caused a slight pain and then glared half-heartedly at her. She giggled.

"I suggest that you keep practicing." She teased. Kirk rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"Oh, I will. What do you want?"

"A veggie quesadilla, please." Kirk nodded and joined the other officer's in line at the replicator. Keva watched him with interest as he joked and laughed with everyone else in line. She knew that she had a bit of a reluctant crush on the charismatic captain. He was arrogant in just about every way, but Keva found it charming. And she was delighted that he was trying to block her from reading his mind. In a way, she viewed him as a challenge that she wanted to conquer and she knew that he felt the same way about her. Just how far that challenge would go was anyone's guess. She knew that a relationship between them wasn't exactly the best idea, but at the same time, she was apparently helpless at saying no to him. Keva smiled at the thought and that would be when Kirk returned to the table.

"What?" He asked as he placed the plate before her. He had gotten something similar and he began eating it immediately upon sitting down.

"Nothing important." Keva replied. "Thank you for getting me lunch." Kirk nodded.

"Thank you for joining me." They shared a smile. "I wanted to ask you this the other night, have you ever been on a motorcycle?"

The rest of lunch was filled with Keva's laughter as Kirk told her about growing up in Iowa and his various rebellious undertakings. For his part, Kirk was glad to make the counselor laugh. He had a feeling that she needed more laughter in her life and he was becoming invested in the idea that he was the one who needed to make that happen.

-xXx-

Keva hummed as she made her way towards the activities deck. She was in a _lovely_ mood. She had slept well the night before, her patients had been open to all her suggestions with positive results, and lunch with Kirk had been flirty and fun. She wasn't sure how she felt about the captain on a personal romantic level, but she knew that she did enjoy his company and the way that he used his charms to make her laugh. The good day had her in the mood to go for a run and use up some of that positive energy in exercise. She would never tell either McCoy nor Kirk that they had been right about her needing to focus on herself a bit, but right they had been.

The activities deck on the _Enterprise_ contained a full gym, a tennis court, a basketball court, and a quarter-mile track. Keva would've preferred for an outdoor track, but as they were traveling through space, she knew that that particular wish was a ridiculous one.

As she rounded the corner to head towards the track, Keva was surprised to see McCoy playing basketball. Indeed, it surprised her enough to stop her in her tracks. She watched as one of his teammates passed him the ball and McCoy began to make his way down the court towards the basket. Keva was impressed when he jumped up and made the shot from the three-point line. His teammates cheered and McCoy laughed as one of them said something. As he laughed, McCoy caught sight of Keva and jogged over to her. Keva couldn't help but notice that the activity and resulting sweat enhanced the already attractive doctor's looks. She blushed as he grinned at her.

"Counselor." He greeted loudly as he leaned against the half-wall that separated them. "What are you doing up here?" He eyed her workout gear. "Exercising?"

"Yes, just to jog for a little while." Keva replied as she tried to still her suddenly hammering heart. Between Kirk and McCoy, her heart and hormones were running wild today. McCoy's thoughts were definitely focused on how well the tight material accentuated her curves. Desperate for a distraction from her own thoughts, Keva blurted out, "I didn't know that you played basketball." McCoy nodded, glancing back towards the game. His friends, a few of which Keva now realized that she recognized, called for him to return. "I'm sorry, I'm distracting you."

"I happen to like this particular distraction." McCoy teased before his face became slightly more serious. "Have a drink with me later." His tone – and thoughts – made it clear to Keva that he meant for the meet up to be a date.

"Okay." McCoy grinned and Keva felt his mood sore.

"Great! I'll meet you at your quarters in a couple hours." Keva's cheeks flushed as she murmured out a good bye before McCoy jogged back to his game.

-xXx-

Almost two hours later, Keva was standing before her bathroom mirror, criticizing her appearance. She had opted for her long blue dress with the vest-like top complete with gold brocade. But while the dress emphasized her beauty, she was concerned that its plunging neckline was too much. Courting rituals on Betazed were as straightforward as the rest of the culture and dressing as she had done so tonight would be considered perfectly normal. But her time amongst humans had taught her that they were more reserved in the beginning stages of courtship.

Blowing air out through her nose, she began to fuss with her long hair. It currently rested flat on her back. She brought some of it forward on both sides of her body so that it covered some of her bare shoulders. It was an improvement, but she still felt overdressed.

Her door beeping ended the debate. Taking a deep breath, Keva left her bathroom and went to answer the door. She had prepared herself for McCoy's reaction, but the stunned look on his face and 'wow' reverberating in his head still sent a surprising jolt through her.

"You look amazing." He breathed after several seconds. Keva blushed, dipping her head coyly.

"Thank you." She glanced down and saw that he had a bottle of champagne and two wine glasses. McCoy saw her frown and explained,

"I figured that you might not want to be bombarded by everyone in the lounge." Keva was touched by his thoughtfulness. "If that makes you uncomfortable, we can go to the officer's lounge. It shouldn't be too busy." But Keva shook her head and stepped aside to let him in.

"No, this is fine." McCoy smiled and entered her quarters. Her nerves overriding her desire to respect his thoughts, Keva allowed her mind to reach out to his. He was as nervous as she was, a fact that she found both comforting and endearing.

"Let me help you." She took the wine and glasses from him and placed them on the dining table.

"Your quarters are brighter than I imagined." He commented as he glanced around the space. It was true. Keva had decorated the normally neutral space with bright hues of blue, pink, orange, green, and red.

"I like bright colors." She explained. "I like vibrancy and character." She turned to face him. "I love life and bright colors remind me of life." McCoy wasn't used to seeing the normally reserved counselor so animated, but it filled him with a strange sense of excitement. Catching his thoughts, Keva smiled. McCoy's cheeks tinged pink ever so lightly.

"I know that you already know this, but I like this side of you." Keva's smile widened.

"I'd rather hear you say it. Would you like to sit?" She waved her hand towards the couch. To her surprise, McCoy shook his head.

"You take a seat. I'll get the wine." Keva did as he ordered and made herself comfortable amongst the multicolored, beaded pillows. Glasses filled, McCoy turned towards her and started. She reminded him of Cleopatra, lounging in her palace near the Nile.

"Who's Cleopatra?" Keva asked with a frown.

"An ancient queen from Egypt on Earth." McCoy explained as he joined her on the couch. Keva accepted the offered wine glass he offered before he continued. "She was apparently quite the woman." Keva blushed.

"Then I thank you for the comparison."

"You're welcome. I hope that you like champagne. I wasn't sure if you liked red, white, or rose so I opted for what's usually the safest choice. I suppose I should've asked you earlier." McCoy mentally scolded himself, but Keva reached out to give his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You selected wisely. In truth, I am not overly fond of the wine from Earth." McCoy grinned in relief. "How did your game end?"

"Lost by a last minute basket from half court." McCoy grumbled. "I hate playing against Acamarians." He was joking and Keva laughed.

"I'm sorry." McCoy shrugged.

"It happens. You win some, you lose some."

"Fair point." Keva took a sip of her champagne. "Do you play often?"

"Every Tuesday." He replied. "I wanted to be a pro basketball player when I was younger." Keva's eyes widened in delight.

"Did you?! That's actually quite surprising." McCoy pretended to be offended.

"What? You don't think I'm sporty?" Keva giggled as she took another drink of her champagne. "What about you? Play any sports?" Keva made a face as she shook her head.

"No, I've never been particularly sporty. I don't even really enjoy jogging all that much, but exercise is healthy. Especially when traveling through space without getting any time outside." Keva sighed, her breath echoing in the champagne glass as she lowered it from her mouth. "I think that's what I dislike the most about being in Starfleet, the long periods of time spent without being able to step outside in the fresh air." McCoy nodded thoughtfully at her comment.

"I agree with that. I won't say that I'm an outdoorsy kind of guy, but I do miss breathing in fresh air." They shared a small smile. "So if you didn't play sports, what did you do for fun on Betazed?"

"I spent a lot of time shadowing my grandmother at the Janaran Sanctuary or listening to my father's lectures at the University of Betazed. From time to time I also accompanied Arvera, my older sister, when she shadowed my mother at the capital. I didn't like all the work that she had to do, but I enjoyed getting to see all the foreigners coming to the palace."

"Arvera is training to replace your mother I take it?" Keva nodded.

"Yes, as is her right as the first born daughter. Once my mother retires from the Empress' Council, she will relinquish her right as the holder of the Golden Crown of Braezed and my sister will take her place." McCoy whistled.

"Your mother must be fairly high up in the royal food chain." Keva laughed.

"She's the younger sister of the empress so yes, she is 'fairly high up on the royal food chain.'" McCoy choked on the last bit of champagne in his glass.

"So you're the niece of an empress?!" Keva nodded. "Doesn't that make you pretty important?"

"Arvera is the important one." Keva replied, somewhat annoyed at his reaction. His reaction was exactly why she made it a point _not_ to tell humans about her family. "It is she who will take over for my mother. I have chosen a different point." McCoy didn't need to be psychic to pick up on her irritation.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." He apologized. "It wasn't my intent. I was just surprised." Keva accepted his apology with a nod of her head. "Would you like some more champagne?" Keva stood.

"Allow me." McCoy allowed her to take his empty glass and watched her as she walked over to the champagne bottle. His mind tried to focus on anything other than the sway of her hips or the way in which the silky material accentuated her curves.

"You know, I've never heard you say my name." Keva glanced over her shoulder at him with a frown.

"What? I've said your name plenty of times."

"Not my first name." Keva's lips formed an 'o' shape as she returned to the couch. She handed him his glass as she retook her seat.

"Here you are, Leonard." McCoy snorted into his drink at her teasing tone. Keva laughed. He glared at her as he wiped the champagne that had spurt up off of his upper lip. Keva leaned forward and gently wiped off some rogue champagne from his cheek with her thumb. "No, not Leonard, Leo." Her voice came out as a purr and McCoy felt his neck warm from the attention. Keva smiled seductively at him as she returned to her own seat.

By the time McCoy left her quarters, Keva realized that she had a growing problem. She had feelings for both the captain and the doctor and she had no idea what to do about it. Jim made her laugh and she enjoyed the way that the two of them bantered. But the way that Leo looked at her sent chills through her body and she felt comfortable with him. She knew they were friends and that she would have to choose sooner rather than later. Groaning, she decided to take a hot bath and call it a night. Her heart could wait until tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author's Note: A bit of a long chapter that moves the story along a bit. Hopefully you enjoyed it.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


End file.
